PCM-01-04-2024

Explorer PCM

Supervisors vote to continue opioid settlement litigations

County attorney recommended board to remain in current lawsuits

By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer

As more organizations continue to get sued over their roles in the opioid crisis, the Jasper Coun-

ty Board of Supervisors was given the chance Dec. 19 to opt out of its current lawsuits and pursue settlements with those other entities. But in doing so the county would likely have to start all over

from scratch.

Under recommendation from the county attorney, the board of supervisors voted 3-0 to have Jasper County remain in the opioid settlement litigation currently being pursued and to not opt out. As a result of pursuing these lawsuits, the county has been receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The county’s opioid settlement committee has been in charge of providing those funds to local organizations whose projects will have an impact in the community. Focus areas for projects include the prevention and abatement of the use of opioids and with the treatment of those with addictions to opioids.

Jasper County Attorney Scott Nicholson said supervisor Brandon Talsma received an attorney-client communication from the attorneys representing the county in the opioid settlement suits. More entities are being added to the settlement all the time, which ultimately means more

Local newspapers nominated for multiple awards

Newton News, Jasper County Tribune and PCM Explorer place top three in 30 categories at state competition

PCM Explorer

The Newton News, Jasper County Tribune and PCM Explorer have been nominated for numerous awards by the Iowa Newspaper Association as a part of the organization’s Iowa Better Newspaper Contests. The Jasper County Tribune and PCM Explorer are also in the running for General Excellence, naming them two of the top three newspapers in their class. The nominations signal a top three finish in each category for the newspapers. Categories can range in size from a few selections to dozens in competition for the top spot.

Newton News

Supervisors approve development of updated health dept resource guide

Optimized web tool provides information for childcare, mental health, veteran services, etc.

By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer

Jasper County is going to create a hybrid app/ add-on to public health’s webpage to better connect individuals to a resource guide for health and human services.

Supervisors approved the joint request between IT and the county health department during their

LAWSUITS | 3 GUIDE | 3

on the

page on the Jasper County website redirect users to helpful information, including a resource guide that supervisors approved an upgrade for. The resource guide has information about childcare, mental health and veterans services providers, among many other helpful resources in Jasper County.

The twice-a-week newspaper has 10 nominations in a variety of categories. They include: Best Sports Section, Coverage of Business, Coverage of Court and Crime, Best Sports Feature Photo (Multi-day), Best News Feature Photo (Multi-day), Best News Feature Photo (Multiday), Best Photo Story (Multi-day), Best Sports Story (Multi-day), Best Sports Feature Story (Multi-day) and Best Series (Multi-day). Jasper County Tribune

The newspaper covering Colfax, Mingo, Baxter and western Jasper County brought in eight nominations ranging from design, to photos and stories. The nominations are: Best Sports Section, Coverage of Government and Politics, Coverage of Agriculture, Coverage of Business, Best Sports Photo (Weekly), Best Sports Feature Photo (Weekly), Best News Feature Story (Weekly), Best Sports Story (Weekly) and General Excellence.

PCM Explorer

In its fifth year, the PCM Explorer is up for 11 awards. They include: Best Sports Section, Coverage of Government and Politics, Coverage of Agriculture, Coverage of Business, Best Sports Photo (Weekly), Best Sports Story (Weekly), Best Sports Feature Story (Weekly) — two entries, Best Series (Weekly), Best Sports Columnist (Weekly) and General Excellence. All winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony during the INA Annual Convention Feb. 8 at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Des Moines.

DUNWELL: Approved refugees, low-income families and mothers need support

Assistant majority leader’s priorities for 2024 legislative session may take some convincing from fellow Republicans

By Christopher Braunschweig

Editor’s note: The following is the first of three articles going over Jasper County lawmakers’ priorities for the 2024 legislative session.

In addition to pushing for legislation that benefits education, law enforcement, the state’s economy and the movement toward a more efficient government, Iowa House Rep. Jon Dunwell has other priorities this next session that he considers to be off the beaten path and may not excite his fellow Republicans.

Particularly when it comes to a proposed bill that he says will ask for $11 million to support approved refugees. In a phone interview with Newton News, Dunwell stressed the funds would not go toward illegal immigrants or people who have claimed asylum; they would be used by support groups for legal refugees.

“An approved refugee is someone who has gone through the vetting of the United Nations, the (U.S.) state department and other aspects of federal government,” Dunwell said. “We only decide every year how many refugees to let into the U.S.; that number varies from about 75,000 to about 125,000.”

Which could mean about 2,500 to 5,000 refugees move in to Iowa every year. The federal government provides three months of resources for approved refugees. Dunwell said although approved refugees are not illegal im-

migrants, regrettably they are often looked at or treated the same way.

“When you look at the refugees that came to Iowa over the last few years, do you know what the average stay of a refugee in a refugee camp before they come here to Iowa? They’ve lived in a refugee camp 11 years,” he said. “It’s shocking. These would be dollars that would be used primarily by support groups.”

These groups would then use the funding to provide legal aid, a home and job assistance, among other things. Dunwell said the refugees — which he later said are coming from all over the world, but he did not give examples as to their countries of origin — are highly motivated but are caught up in “all this mess.”

Specifically, the mess of the United States immigration policies. It is an extensive process to become an approved

refugee, Dunwell said. Last year Dunwell said he tried to introduce similar legislation. He intends to try again this session while also educating his fellow legislators.

“You can still have some issues with what’s happening on the border and the lack of border security, but this is not what we’re talking about here,” Dunwell said. “…Everyone dumps (approved refugees) into the bucket of what’s happening with the border with what has been labeled illegal immigration.”

When some Republicans hear “refugee,” Dunwell said they think of an individual who has gone to the border and — “whether appropriately or inappropriately” — has claimed asylum without it being tested or tried or proven. The national conversation, he

DUNWELL | 5

Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer

Jasper County Attorney Scott Nicholson speaks with the board of supervisors about continuing the opioid settlement litigations during the Dec. 19 meeting at the county courthouse.

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Dunwell

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Worth Mentioning

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Events at The Gathering Place

Upcoming activities at The Gathering Place in Monroe:

Singalong with Jacque Phillips will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5.

“Get Fit, Move More!” begins at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Be sure to enjoy a family night of Bingo at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10.

PCM Food Pantry

The PCM Food Pantry at the Monroe Presbyterian Church, 113 S. Main St. in Monroe, is open 9 a.m. to noon and 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays and 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays.

TOPS

TOPS 1025 meets at 5:30 p.m. every Monday at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City for weighin, with meeting to follow. Go to the north side parking lot at the church and enter in the north door. Call 515-994-2200 for information.

Men’s Recovery meeting

Lighthouse Recovery Ministries hosts a Men’s Recovery meeting at 6:30 p.m. each Monday at Grace Alive Church, 703 W. Second St. in Prairie City. Contact Barb at b.miller@lighthouserecoveryia.com with questions.

PCM Clothing Closet

The PCM Clothing Closet, on the second floor of the Family Life Center at 105 S. Sherman St. in Prairie City, will be open from 3:30 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday and 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Message volunteers through the PCM Clothing Closet Facebook page to schedule a time for donations.

American Legion meets

The Monroe American Legion meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month.

Time to renew registrations

ATV/UTV/Golf Cart registration in Monroe are due March 1 at city hall. A valid driver’s license and proof of insurance showing a special rider on your auto policy must be provided.

Local photographer to compete in International Photographic Competition

A photograph created by Katherine McClure of Katherine McClure Photography in Prairie City, has recently been accepted as a finalist in the Professional Photographers of America’s 2024 International Photographic Competition. McClure’s work is one of the 32 images in the High School Senior category that will move on as a finalist in the upcoming photo competition at Imaging USA in Louisville, Ky., Jan. 28-30.

Imaging USA is one of the largest annual conventions and expos

for professional photographers. A total of 497 finalist images across 16 image categories will be judged in live head-tohead rounds by a panel of eminent jurors from across the United States.

With each round, images will

be randomly placed into brackets and judges will eliminate the number of images by half. In the end, the 16 category-winning photographers will walk away with a trophy and a check for $1,000. The overall winner of the competition will receive the Grand Imaging Award and a check for $10,000.

“Child of Man,” by McClure will be on display at the International Photographic Exhibition alongside other top photographic works from the competition.

Experienced retired and senior volunteers are ready to help this

Experienced volunteers with the RSVP Tax Assistance Program of Jasper County are prepared to help you this tax season with free income tax assistance for those over 60 years of age and clients on low or fixed incomes.

Newton DMACC appointments are available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 30 through Feb. 29 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays as well as March 5 through April 11 each Tuesday and Wednesday; Thursday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. March 7 and March 21; from 11 .m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 16.

Colfax Library drop-off ONLY appointments are available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9. All locations are by appointment only. Call

tax season

the Iowa State University Extension Office any Tuesday or Wednesday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 9 to schedule your appointment on the

tax-hotline at 641-7877241. In addition to photo IDs and social security cards, clients must bring last year’s tax return or a tax transcript to their appointment. Transcripts can be obtained from the IRS. Current returns will NOT be prepared without this information.

Farm Financial Planning program offers personalized insight for producers

Financial experts are available to help Iowa producers make important decisions

As farmers review their farm financial situation this winter, a handy resource is available from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

The Farm Financial Planning Program offers in-person experts who can offer one-on-one financial counseling, a computerized analysis of the farm business and referral to other extension programs or outside services.

Farm Financial Planning is for anyone who wants to understand a complete picture of their farm financial situation. It helps take the guesswork out of whether a change would increase profitability and improve cash flow. Using FINPACK software, the analysis may provide a more in-depth evaluation of the farm business, which many lenders are requiring before they will extend further credit.

Eight associates make up the Farm Financial Program team with ISU Ex-

tension and Outreach.

Leslie Miller became an associate in 2021, after retiring from a career in the ag lending industry that dates back to the 1980s.

She relies on her experience in the industry to help farmers analyze their situation and pursue their goals.

“What I enjoy most is helping people reach goals that they want to reach so they can have a successful farming operation,” she said. “I like helping them to accomplish their goals and work through their problems.”

The service is free for the client, and the financial associate can become as in-

volved as the client wishes.

The associate offers a big picture look at the farm, and it’s up to the farmer to make specific changes and to contact the specialists who can help. While working with financial associates is important, it’s equally important to follow up with the specialists the associate recommends.

Miller said farm profitability is an ongoing concern, as crop prices continue to drop and land prices continue to increase. She is also helping farmers with the tough times in the swine industry.

She helps producers look closely at their cash flow projections and scrutinize the different options for going forward. Sometimes it’s transitioning to another owner or operator, or identifying an opportunity to expand.

“We run multiple alternatives and compare them side-by-side,” she said. “A borrower can look at those numbers and see what the impact of different decisions might be. Our goal is to consider the ‘what ifs’ for each decision.”

Farmers can locate a Farm Financial Planning Program associate in their area by contacting their ISU Extension and Outreach county office or by visiting the Farm Financial Planning Program associate site.

Since knowing is so important, we joined other newspapers in Iowa and also publish our

online.

Iowa State University

Leslie Miller (left) and Nancy Brannaman are associates with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Farm Financial Planning Program. They are part of a team of eight associates who are available to help farmers understand their financial situation and options for the future.

McClure

Explorer PCM

Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs receive 2018 Farm Bill one year extension, farmers can now enroll for the 2024 crop year

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that agricultural producers can now enroll in the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year. Producers can enroll and make election changes for the 2024 crop year starting Dec. 18, 2023. The deadline to complete enrollment and any election change is March 15, 2024.

On Nov. 16, 2023, President Biden signed into law H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (Pub. L. 118-22), which extended the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334), more commonly known as

the 2018 Farm Bill, through Sept. 30. This extension allows authorized programs, including ARC and PLC, to continue operating.

Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual (ARCIC), which protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2024 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm it will continue for 2024 unless an election change is made.

If producers do not submit their election revision by the March 15 deadline, their election remains the same as their 2023 election for commodities on the

Winter land application ends April

Dry conditions and warm weather provided an early harvest and manure application season. However, here are a few reminders if winter application is still necessary.

Confinements with liquid manure — restrictions started Dec. 21

Runoff into our streams is more likely to occur during winter manure application. State law limits liquid manure application for confinement operations (roofed facilities) with more than 500 animal units. Restrictions on applying manure to snow-covered ground began Dec. 21 and continues until April 1. Liquid manure cannot be applied to fields covered with 1 inch or more of snow or 0.5 inches of ice, except in an emergency.

Starting Feb. 1, applying liquid manure on frozen ground is also restricted until April 1. Call your local DNR field office prior to any emergency application..

Guide

1

Other limits may apply if you took credit for injection or incorporation as part of a construction permit application using the Master Matrix. Winter land application of liquid manure from confinements is allowed when producers can inject or incorporate manure on the same date, and when the ground is not frozen or snow-covered.

Rules for all producers

While limits on winter land application do not apply to open feedlots, dry manure and small confinement producers, all producers must prevent water quality violations. Often they can help protect water quality by using common sense, and choosing application areas far from a stream on flat land with little snow cover.

All surface land application must follow setbacks from buildings and environmentally sensitive areas. Look for more information on winter application rules on DNR’s animal feeding operations web page.

Dec. 12 meeting. Neopolitan Labs, the Iowa-based company who has hired to update the county’s website in October 2023, will be in charge of creating the

Lawsuits

money for the county.

However, there has been a junction in the lawsuits, and the attorneys are now asking Jasper County officials if they would either like to remain in the lawsuit and continue down the path already created or to opt out of the lawsuits and pursue suing some of the newer entities on their own.

“The attorneys representing us are recommending to us that we remain in the lawsuit,” Nicholson said. “Like I indicated, we’re going to continue to receive more money, and this money is going to continue to funnel in anywhere between 18 to 20 years from now. If we opt out of

new feature, which will be optimized for mobile users.

Jasper County IT Director Ryan Eaton said at a past work session the document public health uploads to the website is frequently updated and the PDF file keeps corrupting, making it nearly unusable. It is also not incredibly user friendly as there are no search features for the document.

farm. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the cropland. ARC and PLC are part of a broader USDA safety net that also includes crop insurance and marketing assistance loans. Producers are reminded that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop insurance products. Producers on farms with a PLC election can purchase Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) through their Approved Insurance Provider; however, producers on farms where ARC is the election are ineligible for SCO on their planted acres for that crop on that farm.

the lawsuit, we have to find attorneys.”

Which basically means the county would have to start from scratch, Nicholson added. Jasper County began pursuing litigation about six years ago when Mike Jacobsen was still the county attorney and advised the board of supervisors to join in on the lawsuits. Nicholson advised the board to stay in the lawsuits.

“That’s what our attorneys are advising us,” Nicholson said. “I’ve discussed it with our (opioid settlement) committee, and we are recommending to you today … that we stay in it. We’ve already given away a lot of money, hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our process is working, I think, pretty well.”

Regardless of what the

county chose to do, there were no penalties involved apart from starting the process over again. Neither the county attorney nor the supervisors have any interests in starting over. If the county did decide to do that, Nicholson said it will take years to get through its own suit. Which wastes money. Talsma said, “It doesn’t sound like they have any participants who are opting out. Most of them seem to be sticking with it.” Nicholson added, “I don’t know of any entity in Iowa that is opting out that is already in this lawsuit. The reason we’re before the board is they are suggesting having board action on this to stay in so that we can communicate back to them that we are going to stay in. We have to have this done by Jan. 5.”

It would cost $6,000 to develop the app. Jasper County Board of Health Administrator Becky Pryor acquired a grant that will cover a portion of the costs, bringing the county’s total contribution to $3,600. At the Dec. 12 supervisors meeting, it was determined it would come out of IT’s budget.

“This would just be an upgrade to make the website easier to use to find resources in our community,” Pryor said. “The Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant is willing to pay 40 percent. We’re getting a pre-authorization from the state and that would put the county paying 60 percent.”

Jennifer Cross, social media and communications specialist for Jasper County, said the resource guide

directs individuals to service organizations that cater to their specific needs. For instance, the current guide includes information about groups that provide housing assistance, mental health services, etc. It is also more than 60 pages long. When Pryor has to upload an updated copy, Cross said she has to hope that the QR code doesn’t change and that the links do not change. The new version would be interactive and be easy to search and filter for all website visitors. Updates can also be made on-demand by staff. According to county documents, visitors of the new page will be able to search by keyword or organization name, or filter by category. If need be, the resource guide could even get a user-friendly short URL, making it even easier for the public to access. All entries in the guide will also be print-friendly. If a new category needs to be added in the future or if an old one needs to be removed, the Jasper County Health Department will be able to make these updates via Mint Chip Lab — the platform that powers the entire county site — and have them instantly reflected on the website.

“It’s a 62-page guide and it covers about 34 resource categories, so the idea that PDF is searchable and you can find what you need quickly, this is just going to optimize it,” Cross said. “It’s going to be better for everybody who needs to use it, first responders, Becky’s office, anybody.”

Upon approval from the board of supervisors, Neopolitan Labs can begin development of the new features and import resource listings. A preview of the new feature is expected to be available for review within the next four to six weeks, and it could launch shortly after.

New Years, 2024

I’m bringing out a new line of sculptures for 2024. This new line will be lighter weight and easier for me (and you) to move and transport. They’re called the “Mick Digger” line (after Mick Jagger) and will include females as well as males, and children. I have plenty of shovel parts and saw blades, so why not? At about 5′ tall and 35 lbs., “Mick Digger” has proved most popular on social media, receiving more “likes” than all of my other sculptures combined, proving (to me) that “art” should entertain first, rather than inspire. You may dispute this.

I was just about ready to give up welding and building sculptures because it was too hard on my 75-year old back. It seemed the harder I tried to build lighter weight sculptures, the heavier they got. Previous to “Mick Digger” there was “Orion’s Orchid” that

Curt Swarm Empty Nest

was a back breaker to make and move. I had to use the forks on the tractor. “Orion’s Orchid” is unique and sort of pretty and awe inspiring, but rather impractical as far as yard art goes. I don’t mind keeping it, but windy days are hard on “Orion’s Orchid.” And the wind usually blows on the Empty Nest Farm.

So you can see that in addition to writing, I’m also into making sculptures out of junk. It’s all about art. One of my resolutions for 2024 is to spend more time pursuing my passions: reading, writing and welding (the three Rs?). I’m not getting any younger, and if I can put a smile on someone’s face, it also puts one on mine.

Ginnie and I usually start out the new year by eating pork and cabbage on New Year’s Day. It’s supposed to bring good luck for the new year. Most people eat corned beef and cabbage, but for us,

To prevent drug shortages, protect generic drug manufacturers

By Ted Love

Nearly 250 generic drugs are in critically short supply. These drugs range from cancer treatments to antibiotics to drugs that treat ADHD or irregular heartbeats.

To end this crisis we must fix the structural issues that have long burdened the generic drug market. And we must also address the little-known new burdens that last year’s Inflation Reduction Act placed on generic manufacturing.

Since the 1960s, pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, have served as middlemen between drug manufacturers and the pharmacies where patients fill prescriptions.

As the PBMs prospered with the boom in prescription drug spending, consolidation occurred, leaving 3 companies — CVS Caremark, Optum Rx, and Express Scripts — with 80 percdent of the prescription drug market. Nine in ten prescriptions are filled with generics.

This market dominance provides the PBMs enormous buying power. They use it to demand steep discounts from manufacturers for favorable inclusion of their products on insurance policy formularies. This ability to extract discounts works especially well with generic manufacturers and brand-name drugs with one or more generic competitors.

With PBMs driving hard bargains on price, production of generics migrates toward manufacturers who can deliver the goods at the lowest cost. Those who can’t compete go out of business. Over time, prices get pushed lower and lower, and margins are compressed further until only a few remain.

That’s when shortages start. A sudden demand increase, natural disaster, or corporate mismanagement can lead to an immediate shortage, with no other drug makers able to fill the gap.

The IRA is about to inflict collateral damage on the generic drug market similar to that introduced by the rising buying power of PBMs. Medicare, which accounts for 30 percent of domestic prescription drug spending, will begin setting price ceilings on certain widely used brand-name drugs.

What does controlling prices on brand-name drugs have to do with generic production? The delta between the price of manufacturing a pill and the price one can charge on the marketplace for a brand-name medicine constitutes the incentive for companies to go into the business of making generics. Generic drug manufacturers move in to offer an equivalent product at a lower price, which generally also forces the price of the namebrand down as well.

With Medicare imposing price controls on brandname drugs that are still protected by patents, the government is effectively capturing much of the spread between the production cost and the market price. So suddenly, the incentive for a generic company to enter the marketplace is gone.

The point here is two-fold. Before the dramatic rise of the buying power of PBMs, drug shortages were fewer because enough generic manufacturers could stay profitable to overcome disruptions on the supply or demand side. That’s no longer true.

And the problem may soon extend to brand-name drugs, whose patents may expire without a competitor entering the market. This problem won’t be limited to drugs under price controls, but any drug that might be subject to them down the line. The very possibility of price controls will keep generic manufacturers out. And brand-name drug makers will have limited incentive, due to price controls, to foot the bill to maintain excess capacity.

The reality of PBM consolidation and IRA price controls is that when coercive power keeps prices down, shortages emerge. Until this is fixed, more shortages are inevitable.

Dr. Ted W. Love is chair of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization’s Board of Directors, and former president and CEO of Global Blood Therapeutics

it’s pork and cabbage. An old boy once told me that if he ate pork and cabbage on New Year’s Day, the year would be prosperous. I’ve found it to be true. I found Ginnie, didn’t I?

I also like to spend New Year’s Day doing the things I plan to do throughout the year. I’ve found that if I make a point of exercising on New Year’s Day, I will exercise throughout the year. If I eat in moderation on New Year’s Day, something I’ve not been known for, I will eat in moderation throughout the year. If I’m nice to Ginnie on New Year’s Day, I will be nice to her all year long. Not that being nice to Ginnie is a chore, but I tend to put myself first. If I put Ginnie first, things seem to go a lot better.

Stormy, our tomcat, came to us on New Year’s Day, two years ago. It was snowing hard and I was installing a new wireless door bell on the front door. Ginnie had given me the doorbell for Christmas. We very seldom use the front door. I heard a mewing in the swirling snow. There was a little, gray-tiger kitten, huddled in the cor-

ner of the porch. I coaxed him to me, grabbed him up, and he clawed and bit the bejeebers out of my hand. But I held tight and brought him indoors to warm up. He’s been with us ever since. He’s now overweight and thinks he owns the place. As I write this at 2:00 am in the morning, he knocked over Ginnie’s reading lamp. His name, Stormy, is apropos. Two more things: that scratching and biting he did on my hand, bonded us. Stormy may be my Muse. And much to Ginnie’s chagrin, Stormy is MY cat. He cuddles on my lap, and sleeps on my dirty clothes. Ginnie, he mostly ignores, even though she is the one who feeds and gives him treats. He knows I rescued him, and for that he is grateful, at least as grateful as a cat can be. Be grateful in the new year. There are humanitarian crises on our borders, in Ukraine and Gaza. So many people are homeless, confused and need help. We are the fortunate ones. Follow your passions, and listen to the eternal, whispering voice.

Contact Curt Swarm at curtswarm@yahoo.com

A fluid concept

After reading up on the matter I think if I had to do it all over again, gender fluidity might be the way to go. I think it would be preferable to oriengender or weekfluid where your gender changes on a set schedule. The whole idea would be opportunity and if on a set schedule, one would have some limitations — not many, but now and then for sure. Of course, I’m jesting don’t you know.

So let’s simply go with genderfluidity: it’s an easy term to understand and covers a whole lot of territory. Now let’s be clear. I’m not talking about identity fluidity here. Identity fluidity can cover a whole lot more — also called gender identity. Currently there are in excess of 70 gender identities identified. Examples include astral gender, cassgender, demiflux, genderpuck, and omnigender. All good examples of various genders.

The scripture is crying out

Well, when you follow the news as I do, you feel you can never be shocked by what you hear or see. I thought I was wrong when I heard someone, or persons were allowed to openly place a display or some sort of shrine to Satan in a prominent position in our Iowa State Capitol building. I for one am sick and ashamed. Where was our Governor, elected officials or concerned people?

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Letters to the PCM Explorer will be edited for libel, grammar and length and should not exceed 400 words. We reserve the right to shorten letters and reject those deemed libelous, in poor taste or of a personal

I’m thinking that our legislature needs to study up on these two terms: gender fluidity and gender identity. They are invading our schools and classrooms; our children are becoming omnigender more or less in total. We won’t be able to keep track of them and the senior proms will become really interesting — so interesting in fact that the parental chaperones will know not what to do or not do. They certainly won’t be able to tell who is kissing who and who is copping a feel from whom.

So I think our legislature should be putting this on their agenda for next session. They have worked diligently to outlaw transgender, gay, and the sexual activity amongst the underclassmen. Now it is time to do a little research and nip all this gender fluidity and gender identity in the bud before it reaches proportions that it can’t easily be quashed. We certainly want to make sure none of this

More importantly, where was I? This diabolical trash should’ve been destroyed, placed in trash bags, and burned on the capitol grounds within the hour.

I am extremely proud of this brave Christian patriot from another state who could not sit still and see such an apparent smear on the Christian faith and Jesus Christ himself. He was moved to travel hundreds of miles to our state capitol here in Iowa, march in and destroy the reproach brought upon us all. Thank God for this NATIONAL HERO! Reminds me of David and Goliath.

stuff gets into our school libraries where some young dissatisfied soul is looking for a little gender experimentation.

After all, according to our legislature, and properly so, sex only appears after graduation — miraculously — poof and there it is with the concurrent question of “What do we do with this?” Our elected officials have forgotten, if they ever knew, that our children have smart phones. And guess what? They also have on these smart phones ChatGPT and Bard and Google and Siri and Bing and Pi and Replika and AI Dungeon and probably a hundred more. Who knew, right?

So, let’s do a little research so we are prepared for the next thing that we have to forbid legislatively. It’s simply necessary if we want to continue to live in a world we recognize.

Richard E. H. Phelps Mingo

We are certainly in the last days. The scripture cries out to us. Israel is at war for its very survival. Where are our prayers? Where are our churches? Wars & rumors of wars in every corner of earth. Open borders, millions flowing in from 140 countries, Iran crying out for our destruction, racism, lawlessness, drug addiction, young people brainwashed, lies, etc. The cry of our times is “WAKE UP and STEP UP.” Wait till you see what will happen tomorrow. Clayton

nature. Include your full name, address and a daytime phone number for verification. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the PCM Explorer as an institution. Signed columns as well as letters to the editor and editorial cartoons represent the personal opinion of the writer or artist. Submit letters to news@pcmexplorer.com or Newton Daily News, P.O. Box 967, Newton, Iowa 50208

YOUR VIEW

Newell Newton

Alzheimer’s Association warns of ‘wandering’ adults during holidays

IWD announces partnership with ID.me to improve identity verification during the unemployment process

and after

By Mark Moran Iowa News Service

The Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is raising awareness of adults who get lost during the holidays.

The group holds educational seminars online, this month and next, focusing on topics for families struggling with all forms of dementia. The series teaches people how to identify symptoms of dementia by decoding behavioral messages the affected person displays, noticing common behavior triggers, and learning strategies to help intervene in some of the most common behavioral challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.

Jessica Duncan, program director for the chapter, said caregivers notice more people with Alzheimer’s ‘wandering’ during the holidays, leaving the house without anyone’s knowledge, for example.

“It could be that, or it could be someone that’s driving and can’t remember how to go to the next stop,” Duncan explained. “There are all kinds of different ways that wandering can happen with a dementia loved one, or a memory impairment.”

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, including an estimated 66,000 in Iowa.

Duncan noted the workshops are designed to help family members learn specific facts about the disease. It should equip them to sort out the various opinions and hearsay about what happens to people with dementia, and the toll Alzheimer’s can take on family members.

“One of the things that people always ask me about are, ‘How do I have this conversation with different family dynamics?’ We kind of touch on that a bit,” Duncan explained. “But fact is going to be the biggest part of what we need to make a diary about, or what we need to make a plan for.”

More than 11 million family members and friends serve as caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s, including 98,000 caregivers in Iowa.

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added, is negative toward illegal immigration.

“We have a tendency to throw everything into the same bucket and treat everything the same way,” he said. “… We as a federal government choose how many approved refugees we’re going to allow in the country every year. And every state goes through a process of approving.”

Overcoming those biases and misinformation will be a challenge in getting a bill like this off the ground. Dunwell struggles with the immigration issue. He is a firm believer the United States should close its borders. But what he does not what to do is “make a person into a problem.”

Dunwell added, “We have an immigration policy problem. We don’t have an immigrant problem. Meaning I don’t want to go after people. That just breaks my heart when we do that.”

ALL-DAY PRESCHOOL FUNDING FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

Another issue Dunwell wants to pursue is all-day preschool funding for families that fall at 180 percent poverty level. According to 2023 poverty guidelines, a four-person household at 180 percent poverty level would have an income of $54,000; a three-person household would be $44,748; two-person is $35,496.

“Currently, the state pays of the $7,600-and-change in state aid that we provide for schools, for preschool we provide a half-day funding. So half of that number,” Dunwell said, noting preschool has positive effect on student grades. “…We know preschool has tremendous impact on educational performance of children.”

If the state can initially provide allday funding for a specific subsection of Iowans, Dunwell said it would provide some needed relief for either two very hard working parents/guardians or a single-parent/guardian. Altogether, Dunwell proposed it would cost the state $21 million over five years.

Newton Community School District has a 55 percent free or reduced lunch rate, showing Newton has a high need and that many household incomes are

Claimants can use ID.me; new system will be required April 1

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) today is announcing a partnership with ID.me, the next-generation digital identity network that simplifies how individuals securely prove and share their identity online, to modernize the identity verification process of its unemployment system. ID.me’s identity verification solution is certified against federal digital identity standards. ID.me will be used by Iowans to prove their identity when filing an unemployment claim, creating a more secure and efficient system that protects their personal information.

Starting Jan. 2, Iowans filing for unemployment with IWD will have the option to utilize ID.me to prove their identity. At this time, Iowans who have recently filed or who plan to file are highly encouraged to create an ID.me account and verify their identity. Claimants who use ID.me can expect a faster verification process when filing their initial unemployment claims. Claimants who choose not to use ID.me when filing may experience a delay in the processing

very low and could meet the requirements for such a bill. Dunwell said allday preschool would provide even further assistance for those families.

In the off season, Dunwell said coalitions of representatives have been built to help push an all-day preschool bill forward and find a consensus. Rep. Henry Stone, the majority whip, is going to be lead sponsor on that bill. Dunwell said the House, the Senate and the governor need to get on board.

“I think when people look at the test scores and see the impact that preschool can have upon test scores that we look at from a third grade and eighth grade perspective, you see the value. We actually save money in the long run,” he said. “There are studies out there that show how we’re saving money by doing this.”

For families who are struggling to make ends meet, Dunwell said this bill would give them an opportunity to give their children the best educational opportunity.

“We looked at it last year and didn’t get any legs to it, but I’m hoping this year it gets some more legs to it,” he said.

Iowa has been “very, very disciplined” in its budget, Dunwell added. As a result, the state has been able to cut taxes and create surpluses so that “when we see an opportunity and see a place we can invest in,” like raising teacher salaries or all-day preschool, the state has the dollars to do that.

“I want to make sure when we see these opportunities with our good fiscal responsibility we step up and take advantage of it,” Dunwell said.

DUNWELL WANTS TO ’FOCUS ON MOMS THIS YEAR’

Following the reconvening of the Iowa Legislature in mid-July 2023 to enact an anti-abortion bill, Dunwell hopes to move forward with more “life perspective” legislation, particularly when it comes to postpartum care and support for women during pregnancies. There are two lives when a pregnancy occurs, he said.

“Can child support be paid for a pregnant woman? What kind of resources are we providing for women who are going through a pregnancy to help them in terms of going through that? We’re one of only three states that don’t provide Medicaid funding

of their claim. Following the initial period, on April 1, ID.me will be the required process for all claimants. ID.me is a proven solution that is currently used by 15 federal agencies, 30 states and more than 600 name brand retailers to verify the identity of users. IWD strongly believes that the implementation of ID.me in Iowa will greatly benefit claimants, resulting in faster verification and increased access, while also reducing

“Our

whole by reducing fraudulent claims and making it easier for claimants to establish their identity when they file without the need for additional follow-up steps. It benefits claimants and employers to have a secure unemployment system and today’s efforts will help us maintain the integrity of the fund for years to come.”

While filing for unemployment, claimants will be prompted to begin using ID.me to verify their

new partnership with ID.me will strengthen our unemployment system as a whole ...”

Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development

fraud attempts and securing claimants’ digital privacy.

”Iowa Workforce Development continuously strives to find new ways to ensure the integrity of our unemployment system while helping to find ways to improve the claimant experience,” Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development, said. “Our new partnership with ID.me will strengthen our unemployment system as a

identity. Importantly, the identity verification process with ID.me will occur prior to a claim being submitted, instead of after filing a claim. This update will better streamline the overall claims process and will cut down on additional steps currently spent on verification. IWD will be offering three options for verification with ID.me to improve accessibility and offer claimants the choice to find the best verification option that

for postpartum care for moms,” Dunwell said.

Iowa needs to continue to look at what it’s doing for child care. Although more slots are available, Dunwell questioned how facilities can still provide quality opportunities and spots for parents for child care. The legislator wants to make sure the state is maximizing everything it can “to make sure mom is cared for.”

Dunwell added, “(To make sure) mom knows there are resources available for her and that she knows that we care about who she is and what she is going through. And that would include dads as well, but as (we) know in some situations in a pregnancy a woman is all by herself.”

To put it plainly, Dunwell said he really wants to “focus on moms this year.”

If conservatives are going to believe and talk about valuing life, Dunwell said they need to realize the mother is part of that process and do everything they possibly can to help, preserve and care for her and the baby. Dunwell said providing stability “reaps unbelievable benefits” throughout the state.

“We see less problems. We see less difficulties. We see less challenges. When kids have stability behind them we see that good things happen and there’s less issues that pop up down the road,” he said. “So this is just good policy, it’s smart and it in many respects eliminates the need for so many things we argue about.”

FOUR PRIORITY PILLARS

Apart from his off the beaten path priorities, Dunwell, as an assistant majority leader, wants to also pursue what he calls the “four priority pillars,” which include education, law and order, Iowa’s economy and efficient government. In education, some areas of concern include safety and also teachers’ salaries.

“I’m a big fan of finding some ways to raise teachers’ salaries across the board, talking something more than our typically SSA funding model — so not just increasing that but really doing something specifically to raise teachers’ pay,” Dunwell said, noting the legislature may also look at Iowa CORE.

Other issues include chronic absenteeism across the state and controversies with violence. Dunwell said

works for them. This will include:

Online Self-Service:  This will be the most-used option for claimants, and typically takes just a few minutes to complete online.

Video Chat Agent:  This option connects a claimant with a live Video Chat Agent with ID.me to help conduct the verification process.

In-person Verification:  Claimants also will have the option to verify their identity in person at one of the American Job Centers (IowaWORKS offices) across the state, with the assistance of trained staff.

While ID.me will not be required until April 1, IWD recommends that all Iowans filing or planning to file for unemployment get familiar with the new system. The following resources are below to help claimants.

Identity Verification Page:  Overview of the verification process (workforce.iowa.gov/verify)

ID.me Overview:  Guide to using ID.me (workforce.iowa. gov/id-me)

Unemployment Home:  Where to file for benefits (workforce.iowa. gov/unemployment)

legislators are also looking at whether the state needs to look at educational achievement or redesigning educational standards.

For the topic of law and order, Dunwell said it comes down to supporting law enforcement. More specifically, lawmakers want to take a closer look at penalties for individuals causing violence against law enforcement officers. Those accused of such crimes would be held without bail.

“We also have some disparities in law enforcement retirements. And we have a recruitment issue,” Dunwell said, noting lawmakers could be considering incentive programs. “What can we do to maybe cover some moving expenses for law enforcement officers, corrections officers, etc. who are moving to Iowa?”

There is some conversation, he added, of making sure career criminals are taken out of communities. Dunwell also anticipates discussions about strengthening laws around sex trafficking, sex slavery and rapes of minors. Also part of that discussion is putting parents in charge of their children’s online data.

“Right now, children are not protected. So we think that data by default should be protected. Basically, parents would be in charge of … what gets shared about them on TikTok and social media,” Dunwell said. “We think it’s time to have the big social media companies require some sort of consent from parents.”

When it comes to Iowa’s economy, Dunwell said taxes will continue to be an issue. With the state’s balance in the Iowa Tax Relief Fund and rising inflation, Dunwell thinks it is time to enact the 3.9 percent flat tax for 2024; initially, it was planned to go into effect in 2026.

Dunwell also expects lawmakers to make it easier to start a small business in Iowa by creating more incentives.

To meet the final pillar of efficient government, he said the state’s IT systems need modernized. Many medical costs also end up being paid by the government through programs like Medicaid and Medicare. Dunwell said as a result “we’ve got some really high hospital and nursing home costs that we need to take a look at.”

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